Biometal Model O
by Kessie-Louise
Summary: She was always planned to be the Biomatch of Model O, the Devil Mega Man. But the events that led to that fateful moment were nothing but normal; at least, they were, until Master Albert suddenly decides to call her after four years of silence... [AU][Sequel to Giro and Juno, and Guided by the Wind][Direct prequel to Metempsychotic]
1. Troubles & Dreams

**In Previous Works** ;

 _A few months after being activated and getting Giro Express off its feet, Girouette, the Red Mega Man, rescues a young girl from a deadly Maverick attack. After finding that she does not have any family left, Giro adopts her and she helps him around the warehouse. In the few months of this new arrangement, the girl, named Juno, is silent from trauma for months, nearly going on a year. As the years grow on, Giro and Juno's relationship strengthens, against Model Z's suggestions, believing that Giro was replicating an old relationship left behind half a century ago._

 _When Juno was sixteen, she left Giro Express to study in photography, ending up with meeting Prometheus, Pandora, and -ultimately- Master Albert before the Reploids were infused with Model W. During her five year stay with the Sage Trinity, Master Albert secured Juno's place as a Biomatch for a rather secret Biometal. Upon returning to Giro Express, Juno takes place where she left off- only once ever asking for vacation and ending up taking care of a runaway Vent._

 _This story takes place very close to the beginning of ZX, where the world is starting to see a shift in their years of peace into something much darker..._

-. . .-

It was late at night, Juno didn't even bother to check to see who had come in. She found out soon enough, an uncertain voice waking her up from an already troubled sleep.

"Juno, where's Giro?"

The human rolled over to look at a fourteen year old Vent. She couldn't make out his features too well in the dim light, but he looked as if he wasn't sleeping well.

"Isn't he in his room?" she slurred inquisitively.

"Giro's room is locked, I don't think he's in there."

"He's probably gone somewhere real quick. He'll be back."

"June, it's one in the freaking morning. Where would he go?"

"Do you trust me?"

Defiantly, and mumbling something under his breath, Vent nodded. When he recoiled, he seemed a bit lost.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Juno asked him.

"Can I sleep with you," Vent asked. "You know, like when we ran away together?"

"You mean when _you_ ran away and I was on vacation." Juno smirked. "Besides, aren't you a little old to be in bed with me?" she then asked as Vent got into bed with her regardless. "Or too young now, I should say."

"What can I say?" shrugged the teen, "I like how you spoon."

"I see Giro hasn't found soap you dislike yet." Juno snickered.

"After dealing with the last catastrophe over soap, I don't think he'll be cleansing my mouth any time soon." Vent laughed, embracing Juno's arms wrapping around him. The teen was comfortable enough with this arrangement that he let out a long yawn.

"Why are your feet always so cold Vent?" Juno questioned, squirming her body a bit away from his. "I could keep ice cream cold on your feet alone!"

Vent didn't answer, instead he had fallen back asleep almost instantly. Juno smiled, nuzzling the back of his head as she found sleep once more again too.

. . .

The next morning, the duo woke up in unison and stared at each other. Juno gave a sleepy smile at Vent, who didn't give away any emotion.

"Remember when you were little and you used to say stuff about your mother and an apparent sister?" she asked him as she started to play with his messy hair. "Every nightmare you had involved some kind of scenario about one of the two. I should have written it down. The stuff you came up with was pretty creative… in a creepy way."

The fourteen year old didn't respond to this, instead looking Juno in the eye as if he were searching for something. His surrogate mother frowned at his state. It wasn't like Vent to be this quiet- was he even awake at the moment?

"Vent…?" Juno asked quietly, running her hand slowly through his hair now, "Are you alright? You seem so… out of it. Would you like me to make some breakfast or something for you?"

"I'm not hungry." Vent said to her tonelessly. At least she had gotten him to talk, that was a good start.

"Toast it is then." she decided, giving him a playful pat on the shoulder before she got up. Vent sat up as well, watching the woman as she hoisted herself out of her bed and turned around to expect him to do the same. Acting as if he had been placed in slow motion, Vent got out of Juno's bed then turned to face her.

"Come on slowpoke," Juno teased as she walked around the bed to take his hand. "Let's go see if Giro's in the kitchen."

Leading him out of the dorms and into the kitchen, Juno barely noticed that Girouette had returned and was sitting at the breakfast bar. Vent did though, and immediately called out his boss's name before taking a seat next to the Reploid. Giro just barely looked up but gave Vent a small smile at seeing him.

Juno smiled as the two had a small conversation while she prepared something to eat.

"So when are you gonna take me out on a one-on-one delivery?" Vent enthusiastically asked his boss.

"When you develop some manners toward the customers." Giro replied before taking a sip of his coffee. "Last time I let you go with me, we nearly lost a client."

"Oh come on Giro!" the boy plead. "I was so young then- give me another chance!"

"Vent honey," Juno interrupted, "Wasn't that just last month?"

"And I've learned a lot since then! Like…. like how Giro will always be there to get me out of trouble!"

"Right, that's the lesson you should have learned from that."

"It's true! Isn't it Giro?!"

The Reploid did not reply and seemed to be far off. It was another moment before he realized that Vent and Juno were giving him weird looks. Thoughtfully, Juno bit her lower lip before turning to Vent.

"Vent, go help Sho set up shop for the day." Juno requested. "It's getting close to opening time. I'm sure Sho needs the help."

Now confused about the change of subject, Vent looked from her to Giro, then back again feeling rather unsure. But he went any way. Juno waited a moment to make sure he had left before taking Vent's seat next to Girouette.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "You left pretty late last night."

"You were looking for me?" Giro asked, raising an eyebrow as he took another sip of coffee.

"Vent was, for some reason. He didn't tell me though. We ended up sleeping in bed together. Last time that happened he had a nightmare, and that was years ago."

"Wonderful." Giro groaned. Juno tilted her head curiously.

"What's going on? Please tell me."

Giro turned to look at Juno and shook his head while letting out deep, pained sigh.

"Cyber Elves are going missing."

"Cyber Elves?" the human questioned, now a bit confused. "Aren't they all supposed to be in Data..."

"Cyberspace? Yes. Most of them are. But, as long as a Reploid dies, there's a Cyber Elf that follows- and there's been plenty of that recently, that's for sure."

"Where are they going?"

Girouette gave a sullen shrug. "We don't know. Fleuve is working on it as we speak… but...

"But there's something else… isn't there?"

Girouette paused for a moment, lulling over the idea of telling her or not. "I… I've been having nightmares."

"Reploids can't have nightmares Giro." Juno started to remark before seeing how serious he was. "But you have..."

"If it isn't about Vent or the Cyber Elves, they're about you."

"Me?"

The Reploid nodded as he ran a hand through his hair. "I think you're all in danger. I can't tell what, but I believe it involves the Biometals. I just don't know how..."

"You'll figure it out." Juno assured him. Girouette looked up at her looking grave. His thumb slowly rubbed against her knuckles as if he was trying to calm himself from the inevitable signs around him.

"I hope so Juno." Girouette eventually said, his voice sounding far off. The human woman tilted her head before moving closer to the Reploid. Gently, reassuringly, Juno placed a soft kiss on Giro's lips. It proved to calm him, but it did not ease his fears.

"Don't leave me." Girouette whispered. "I can't stand to lose Vent- I know that-, I don't know what would happen if I lost both of you. Something… something so bad is going to happen to you two that I don't know if I… if I could..."

"Oh Giro, my sweet over thinking Giro." Juno teased, planting little butterfly kisses along his jaw line. "I can't keep up when you're so worried. Just relax, you have a job to do."

"And it involves keeping Vent safe."

Juno gave him a glance from above. "I meant Giro Express." she told him. "You have a job there too."

"It's not the job I should be doing..." Girouette muttered defiantly.

"It is." Juno affirmed. "Now get out there before Sho comes up and makes some joke about us making out."

"I'd rather do that instead." the Reploid told her, giving her a rather playful, but weary, glance. Juno shook her head before starting to get up. She held her hands out to him, expecting him to take them so she could get him out of the chair.

"Come on," she coaxed, "I'll help you do inventory, just like old times."

He looked at her for a few minutes before giving in. "Thank you," he smiled gratefully.


	2. No Peaceful Place

Admittedly, working was pretty soothing to Girouette with Juno helping him. She walked patiently behind him, taking notes and making corrections as other operations went around them. Most of the time was spent making sure Vent wasn't slacking off with Sho. She used to help him all the time before she left for an internship to hone her photography skills. Even before that, Giro had saved her from a Maverick raid at a well known theme park. He trusted her, perhaps a bit too much, as he had told her about his operations with the Guardians and his abilities with Model Z. Juno listened to every word, and always knew what to say to him no matter what he felt.

In reality, he created a monster.

"Juno, check off the orders to District Alpha and add an order to Area C."

"Yes sir!"

"Can you also check to see if we have enough supplies to ship out order number 61-9 at eleven this morning?"

"It looks pretty good, but it seems as if we're missing item 53-Xp13453."

Girouette looked at her, in turn she gave back a sweet smile as if nothing were wrong. "Are you sure?" he asked her skeptically. Juno nodded before looking back down at the clipboard.

"It looks as if it's an immediate delivery too." she affirmed. "We might not be able to hold the order off until eleven."

Giro raised an eyebrow at her, taking the clipboard from her to look over the list himself. He then looked back up at the human with a raise of his eyebrow. Juno's genuine and sweet smile was unwavering as she looked back at him.

"We'll need to discuss this order later." Girouette eventually told her sternly. "What's next after that?"

Juno's smile grew wider as she continued down the list.

. . .

At lunchtime, Sho, Vent, and Juno took their lunch break in the kitchen. Sitting at the table and not one of the bars, Vent decided to sit next to Juno with Sho across from them. The three of them were having a rather lively discussion that Vent likely should not have been hearing. During their conversations, Juno's headset started to go off, alerting her to an incoming call. She answered it and gave her typical I'm-at-work-now greeting in a cheerful tone;

"You are presently speaking to Juno Persica, expendable head transporter of Giro Express, how may I transport your needs today?"

"Ah yes Juno, this is Master Albert of the Sage Trinity from Legion Headquarters."

For a moment, the world seemed to stop. "Master Albert?" Juno questioned, earning a look from Sho and Vent.

"Why is Master Albert calling you?" Sho questioned. Juno raised a hand at him to be silent for a moment as the Sage Trinity member continued,

"Yes Juno, it's been some time since I've heard from you last. How have you been?"

"I… have been good." the woman admitted, starting to get a sense of wariness. Sho and Vent continued to look at her, yearning for information. Knowing that they were only going to look at her more intensely as the conversation went on, Juno got up from the table and went toward the dorms.

"How have you been doing?" Juno then asked.

"Fine." came the short answer. Juno was taken slightly aback by such a short answer and paused for a moment. He was being so brief with her, it was nearly mind numbing.

"Do you… need something transported?" she asked.

"Besides yourself to Legion Headquarters, no not particularly."

"You need me?" Juno asked as Giro came up to the dorms. The woman flinched when he noticed her and started to walk toward her; was there no place in this facility where someone could be alone for a few minutes?

"Yes." Master Albert continued. "You see, I would like for you to come over to Legion Headquaters due to a certain surprise I have prepared for you. It took quite a long time for me to get it together, and I would rather appreciate for you to come experience it."

"Oh, well, I'd be honored sir. But I..."

"I know you have other obligations Juno, and you can come by any time. However, it should be placed above most else as it is extremely important."

"I'm sure sir." Juno agreed, giving a nervous glance to Giro, who was now giving her a skeptical look and had his arms crossed.

"Please come down to Legion later today if you can Juno, I'm sure Prometheus and Pandora would enjoy seeing you again as well. I'm afraid to say that Master Mikhail and Master Thomas have stepped out, but then we can insure that what I want you to see is done swiftly. What do you say Miss Persica, can I anticipate your arrival later today?"

Juno looked at Giro and bit her lip in through. There was just… something about Master Albert's tone of voice that she couldn't trust. But, he _was_ an ally as far as trust went.

"I'll need to talk to my boss." Juno finally decided.

"I understand." was the short answer. "Regardless, I hope you make up your mind soon Juno. Good day, and see you later I believe."

"See you soon too." the woman agreed before ending the call. Now she had to answer to Girouette's call.

"Who was that?" the Reploid questioned. He didn't look mad at her, just… worried.

"Master Albert of the Sage Trinity from Legion Headquarters." Juno sheepishly said to him.

"What did he want?" Giro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He wants to see me for a surprise he said," she related to him, sounding confused by her own words, "Something that he's been preparing for a long time."

"When does he want to see you?" Girouette asked with his own curiosity unwavering.

"As soon as possible."

"For how long?"

"He didn't say."

Girouette looked Juno up and down, taking note of insecurity and reluctance.

"I'm coming with you." Giro decided.

"Please no, don't." Juno insisted as she put her hands on his shoulders.

"Then Model Z will." he retaliated, putting his hands on top of hers.

' _Oh no, you will leave me_ out _of this!_ ' came the very angry retort from the Biometal. Both adults ignored it.

"I wasn't even able to hear Model Z until I came back from working with the Sage Trinity. Maybe while I'm there he'll know why- maybe that's why he wants me to come over. But I think… I don't think he'll let anyone but me into Legion. He's paranoid like that."

Sadly, Giro moved his hands so he was cupping face, forcing eye contact between the both of them.

"I'm not going to be away for long." Juno assured him, leaning into his embrace. "I'm not going away forever."

The honest and sweet words did not soothe Giro's fears. "Between the Cyber Elves, and the nightmares..." he slowly started to tell her. "Juno, something's brewing in Kirjath Arba and I think it will effect all of us deeply. I don't like this feeling Juno; I hate it. And you better believe that with Master Albert suddenly calling you out of the blue after four years, I think I've earned the right to be partially worried about what's going on."

"I'll be back." Juno repeated as she moved forward to give Giro a small kiss. "I always do."

. . .

It could have just been her, but the Legion building had gotten bigger since the last time she visited. At the front gate, Juno rang a bell and waited for someone to answer.

"It's been a long time Juno." someone said from behind her. The woman turned around and was greeted by a familiar face in new duds. Last time she saw him, there couldn't have been a difference between him and a simple pedestrian on the street, but now he was wearing armor that nearly pointed out his Reploid status. In his hands he was also carrying a weapon, a scythe. He seemed more… dangerous to her now.

"Hello Prometheus." Juno greeted kindly enough despite her feelings of general discomfort. "You look… different."

"A lot changes in four years." the Reploid grimaced. "What else did you expect, the candy man?"

"I see your attitude hasn't improved much." Juno joked, trying to ease her new found distrust. "Is Pandora around too?"

"You'll meet her again eventually." the Reploid agreed darkly. "For now though, I was told to escort you to Master Albert. He's been expecting you."

"Well then, lead the way." she replied. With a stiff nod and an unwelcome grunt, Prometheus did just that.


	3. To Just Kill Her Was Dissatisfying

Prometheus led Juno to a laboratory with nothing in it but one cryogenic status chamber that sat against a wall, connected to a rather intimidating computer console. Master Albert was waiting in the center of the room. Pandora stood behind him, well enough away in distance to signal that she held some sort of qualms with her creator.

"Ah Juno, come here, I want to see you in person once more." Master Albert said as Juno and Prometheus entered the lab. Cautiously, Juno moved toward the Trinity member and allowed him to get a closer look at her.

"Such a pretty girl," he crooned. "I have a gift for you."

From behind, Master Albert pulled out a small packet and held it up to Juno. Wordlessly -unsure of what to say- Juno took it from him and undid the packaging. Inside was a Biometal- it radiated with a kind of energy that almost made the woman sick. Juno snapped her head up at the Trinity member and shoved the Biometal back at him.

"I can't accept this!" she declared quickly, almost in a panic. "I don't know what it is, or how you found it, but I'm not taking it!"

"I have given you so much Juno," Master Albert said to her calmly, "I have improved your implants, I gave you shelter- please take this Biometal as one last token of my admiration."

"No!"

Suddenly, the look on Master Albert's face grew dark. "Yes. You will." he muttered darkly. "Biometal Model O..."

"Don't do this!" Juno plead backing away from him.

"Merge with Juno!"

At his command, the Biometal started to radiate a horrifying glow as it started to raise in the air, inching its way closer to the defenseless woman.

' _Biolink… established… system… online…_ '

"No!"

The blood curdling scream that followed as it emitted from the human woman would have given anyone in hearing range nightmares. The Biometal crawled from underneath her skin, emerging as if her own blood had erupted in tiny spouts throughout her pores. Juno shook violently as the Biometal took over her skin, seemed to tear her flesh apart and spilling her internal organs out onto the ground.

Prometheus and Pandora simply looked on. Deep down, watching this grotesque display nearly made Prometheus feel sorry for the human. Almost.

 _'Iris… pretty, pretty Iris… I remember you...'_

"No!" the human screeched as her body twisted into inhuman places without her permission as the Biometal took over. Juno's body thrust to the ground as if she was being kicked and pushed around, eventually leaving her to a place to simply lay there in fetal position. Crying, screaming, and in mass amount of pain that simpler men would have died for after the first minute.

Pandora carefully walked over to her, attempting to place a gentle hand on her shoulder, but the human swat the Reploid's hand when it was only half a centimeter away.

"Don't touch me." Juno growled, a tone in which nearly terrified Pandora to instantly back away. Even Prometheus was taken aback by the human's actions, if only because she was scaring his sister.

"Welcome Juno, Biomatch for Biometal Model O, the Devil Mega Man."

From the ground, fighting back her own tears and growing agony, Juno started to emit a low, creepy chuckle.

"You..." she painfully started to laugh. "You bastard. You planned this all along, didn't you?"

"I'll admit that you changed the narrative slightly," Master Albert confirmed darkly, "But yes, it was all planned. Why do you think I 'safeguarded' your previous implants? You have a strong will my dear, and letting it go to waste on photography would have been distasteful of me."

"I should have known… all your talk about games and… and power. Should have seen if from the start."

"If it wasn't for you my sweet, I would have never known that there were other Biometals out there. Without you, I wouldn't have been assured that Biometal W was the only power standing between me and total reset."

"Grow up!" Juno spat at him as she attempted to sit up.

"NEVER!" Master Albert shrieked, kicking the human hard in the stomach. Still hurting from her new transformation, Juno howled in pain as she fell back to the ground writhing in agony. "This is what he wants!" Master Albert continued, continuing to kick her without restraint at the end of each sentence, "Pain! Suffering! Ignorance! This was all because he couldn't let go of the past! It was because he couldn't stay with her!"

"Then… the apple… didn't fall… far… from... the tree..."

Fury was not the only emotion that flashed in the man's eyes; death- death shown bright and putrid with an intense burning. "I AM NOTHING LIKE HIM!" Master Albert screamed at her as he raised his fist to harm her. A blast of ice hit him before he could take the blow. Snapping his head up, Master Albert gave a deadly look at Pandora, who was ready to strike again need she be. Prometheus too, stiffly took position if he needed to strike as well. Seeing them made Master Albert recompose himself slightly.

"Juno, your influence on others is… sickening." he then decided coldly. "Perhaps I should make you into a Biometal, thrust it into every Mega Man in existence- maybe they'll learn a thing or two from your essence that not even Model W can replicate."

"And what… what's that?" Juno asked, looking at him through squinted eyes.

"Love." the man snarled. "The love you share, the love that you give that no one deserves. Future Mega Men could benefit from that knowledge; feeding on it, manipulating it, destroying it."

"How many?" Juno sputtered. Master Albert raised an eyebrow at her.

"Come again?" he questioned with a sneer.

"How many... others… Mega Men…?"

"You already know one..." Master Albert said to her carelessly. "Talked quite a bit about him during your time here- oh what was his name, Giro?"

Juno uttered a moan of pain, or realization from her own stupidity; which one was more prominent was up for debate.

"Two others are in this room with you. Haven't you noticed their new wardrobe recently?" the man then continued, a wolfish smile crossing his lips. "I've located four other Mega Men who are doing other assignments to bring about my new reign. But I'm missing one, a certain blue bomber. You wouldn't happen to know anyone that could fit that description, could you? You sure have a funny way of getting around..."

The woman did not answer directly, letting out another low groan. Under her breath she began to whimper the same word over and over as dread overwhelmed her already drained body.

"Stop thinking Juno, and let the Biometal take over." Master Albert then dictated, growing annoyed of her resistance. She was too strong willed, but even that could be broken with time... "The transformation will only sustain itself as long as you keep resisting."

 _'What are you fighting for?'_

"I won't let you hurt Mother's children!" Juno screamed as she bolted forward to hit Master Albert with her clenched fists. Master Albert barely flinched at her movement, and stopped her fist just inches away from his face.

"Mother?" he inquired, a new found curiosity arousing inside of him. "You mean the Mother Elf?"

Juno did not reply. Instead she focused her energy in trying to run Master Albert over, to throw off his balance, anything to put him into a vulnerable position just to smash his face into the ground at least once. With a look from Master Albert, Prometheus and Pandora came forward to force the woman off of their creator; Juno still fought. A very strong will indeed…

But it was breaking. Slowly shifting, Juno's dark green eyes were fading between its original color to a blood red. Model O was claiming control over her, but her resistance was constantly fighting back its control.

"Model O," Master Albert then addressed, "I believe you are in enough control to understand me properly. When you are able to take control over our friend here, I want you to join me in a little game of hide and seek. I think you'll know who I'm searching for quite well. Does 'Zero' ring any bells to you?"

' _Zero… Ragnarok... the fake…_ '

"I will have you know Model O, that he still exists in the same way you exist. I want you to take out the Red Mega Man, your exact opposite and perfect twin; I want you to kill Girouette."

"Bastard..." the human breathed with disgust on her last ounce of will. Master Albert said nothing to her, and left without another word.

"We received word that the Guardians and Giro Express are exchanging Biometal Model X later this week." Prometheus grumbled into Juno's ear. "We already have some Galleons scheduled to find and assault Giro Express's end of things, and a Mechaniloid to the Guardians. With information from Model O about your knowledge of the situation, we know that Giro Express's leader will be at the rendezvous point. It will then be your chance to strike. Get the Biometal, then get back here. Do I make myself clear Biometal Model O?"

Juno still struggled to get out of the Reploids' grip, but the blood red in her eyes grew as her struggles slowly ceased. Finally, in a dark voice that belonged to both Juno and someone else, the human's mouth opened to give a single answer; "Yes."


	4. Zero Fights His Fears, Again

Later, Prometheus and Pandora were preparing to meet with Serpent, an ally of theirs that they had eventually swayed to Model O's control. But Pandora's mind was elsewhere, something about what Juno said to Master Albert really struck a cord in the Reploid girl.

"The Mother Elf..." Pandora mumbled to herself as she tried to think something over.

"What's the matter Dora?" Prometheus questioned, knowingly using the nickname that Juno used to give his sister. Possibly out of spite -a conscious that's-what-you-get-for-liking-her remark- or maybe it truly was out of genuine care about his sister's feelings for the human.

"How could Juno know who the Mother Elf's children are?" the Reploid girl asked out loud, drawing her thoughts out as she spoke them. "The Mother Elf existed over twenty-five years before Juno was even conceived, and no one but Master Albert knew that she imprinted _something_ in the Four Guardians code… But the matches for _THOSE_ Biometals have already been found."

"Perhaps she was thinking of the Baby Elves." Prometheus suggested with a roll of his shoulder. "They say that the Mother Elf held great reverence for the two of them for some reason."

"But what did that have to do with the missing Biometal?" argued Pandora. "It was as if… as if the Mother Elf had blood children. Living creatures, like us."

"That wouldn't have been possible." Prometheus scoffed. "When Master Albert goes off with his head, it always comes to the discussion of the Mother Elf's original form being-"

"Human." both Reploids addressed at the same time.

"And that she was eloping with a..."

"Reploid." they said together again, now giving each other a rather inquiring look.

"Is there anyone even like that?" Pandora whispered quietly. Thinking of a different question that will always remain unspoken between them.

"I sure as hell hope not." Prometheus retorted. "But imagine it Pandora, a decent fight for once, and not one hit kills all the time. Part human, part Reploid; do you think they'll bleed before they explode into a million little pieces?"

Pandora didn't look at him.

"I… I wonder how Juno is doing..."

"Never mind that, remember that we have work to do. Come on."

"Yes Prometheus..." Pandora softly agreed, her mind unchanged and even more confused than earlier.

. . .

Meeting with the Guardians about the safety of Model X was hell from the start. Girouette's fears seemed confirmed when Juno didn't come back, leaving the Reploid to either go around the subject when Vent asked, or not even mentioning it at all. Her room had been locked from the inside, more of a way to prevent Girouette himself from going in than to block anyone that sought her belongings. He wasn't sure about it, but Vent's nightmares were getting worse in tandem with his.

Vent was _never_ supposed to go with Girouette to exchange Model X with Prairie.

With Juno missing, Girouette's first line of trusted individuals horribly dropped. He needed Sho to help maintain the warehouse, because that was what the young Reploid was best at. Telling the teen about his new role helped Vent's mood, that was for sure. But when the Mavericks came and attacked the two, sending Vent over the edge of the cliff they were on due to an exploded gas tank, Girouette couldn't have whipped out Model Z fast enough to send those Mavericks straight to Cyberspace.

' _Calm yourself Giro,_ ' Model Z said to him in a calming, although not soothing, tone ' _Relenting your anger and fears on others will not end the situation._ '

"Ah, but it helps fuel Model W just fine..."

Girouette looked up and was stunned to see a Megamerged, feminine form that nearly resembled Juno's frame and height. The figure wasn't looking at him, and a saber in her right hand emitted a glow, dark purple glow. The Biometal armor nearly resembled the armor Model Z granted Girouette, but it seemed darker, and split between two conflicting designs; one dark and robotic, the other struggling to show humanity and resistance.

' _The energy coming from that form… it's dark… and familiar. A very familiar, dark evil. Take caution Girouette, there may be more than what meets the eye here._ '

All Girouette could see was Juno, and unwillingly, he took a stance to strike.

"J-Juno? Is that… really you?" Girouette asked, trying hard to not let his guard down in case this was all just a trick. The woman refused to look up for a moment, but her chin slowly started to rise.

"Ever since the earth began, devils and angels danced together in a bloodshed of death and destruction." a dual voice said from the armored woman, one that was her own and the other from another influence who demanded control. "It is only destiny that we met again in this fashion. But this time… one of us will fall for good."

Suddenly, the woman's eyes snapped open. Girouette could see the color in the woman's eyes and staggered back in shock; she had blood red eyes that pulsated into another color, an army green maybe, before returning to the darkened red color.

 _'She's fighting it; she's being influenced by two of the most powerful forces of evil and she's_ fighting _it…'_

"Come with me darling, let's live in a world where only we can exist." the woman muttered, offering a hand out to him. "You and I, two halves of the same whole. We could be Adam and Eve, yin and yang… Zero and Omega..."

Without input from Girouette, Model Z immediately drew the zetsaber and made an attack toward the woman. She stepped out of the way with a smirk and took hold of the back of Girouette's neck in an extremely tight grip.

"Did I pinch a nerve?" the woman hissed into Girouette's ear with enough charm to make one's skin crawl. "After all these years, you're still so predictable..."

Giggling, the woman flung Girouette in the opposite direction with all of the Biometal's strength. Hitting the wall had hurt, even with Model Z's powers to give him a bit more strength- but Girouette attempted to stand up again regardless. The woman remained where she was, her body turned around enough to watch him attempt to get back up on shaking knees.

 _'We lost a lot of health from that blow. Giro… I apologize…'_

"It's alright." Girouette told the Biometal in honesty. "We're still alive, so it's fine for now."

"Alive for now, but for how long?" the woman inquired with a sadistic little tilt of her head. Girouette took a few steps back, regaining his composure as he tried to quickly find a way to bring Juno's main consciousness back into field.

"Juno snap out of it, don't let the Biometal control you!" he called out as the woman did nothing of the sort, and made an attack toward him. Girouette dodged out of the way and retaliated with a blow of his own, almost connecting the blade of his zetsaber to the woman's neck. The near hit shocked Juno enough that her eyes returned to green. Before thinking, Girouette rushed to Juno to embrace her, but the woman waved her hand at him.

"No… don't..." she muttered. Giro didn't back down, causing the woman to aim her dark purple saber back at him, effectively keeping well enough distance between the two. Juno looked up at Giro, the green slowly fading in and out to red. She was shaking as she held the saber at him, determination from both sides of influence reflected harshly in her eyes.

"You need to leave!" Juno told him in full panic. "He's going to get Vent! You need to help Vent!"

"But you-" Giro started to say, moving closer, Juno responded to this by strengthening her grip on the saber.

"No Giro, listen to me!" she snapped at him. "Vent is in real danger, Prometheus and Pandora are looking for him now because of his connection to Biometal Model X!"

For a moment, Girouette took a step back in shock. "His connection to…? How would they know about…?"

"You need to go!" Juno repeated. "Giro, please, if you really love me then you'd go to save Vent!"

"But I don't want to leave you like this." Girouette told her. "I can help you control the Biometal if you just let us-"

"Giro!" Juno screeched in anger and desperation before her body was flung to the ground as if someone had pushed her.

 _'She's lost control, Girouette, we need to get out of here. We need to get out of here NOW!'_

A sick, twisted, and sinister laugh emitted from the merged Biometal armor that leeched Juno's life force as the body slowly started to curl back up like a badly controlled puppet.

"I want to see you _dance_ Maverick!" Biometal O declared before lunging into attack.


	5. The Last Chapter is the Cheesiest

Biometal Model O started to show a pattern in its method of attack, to which (at Model Z's insistence) Giro took advantage. Having lost half his health from earlier, Girouette had to think carefully about his movements. His calculations held true as he turned to be the victor between them. The Biometal armor paused, dropping the saber at its feet as it let out a low chuckle. The blood red eyes returned to dark green signaling that Juno was back in control, before Girouette could feel relieved, she teetered backwards into the ground in a lifeless pile.

"Juno!" Girouette exclaimed as he ran over to her and bent down to inspect what damage he inflicted. At least the Biometal decided to not blow up on her- that was something… right?

"Juno stay with me," Girouette then plead as he took her hand. "I'll get help, Prairie shouldn't be that far away, just… just hold on!"

Slowly and wearily, Juno looked up at Giro and gave him a lopsided smile.

"Told you that I'd… that I'd come back." she carefully said to him. Hearing her weak voice made Giro squeeze her hand tighter as if it could keep her with him for a bit longer. Juno smiled as she craned her head up to stare at the sky. It was so blue, so peaceful, and Giro didn't care one bit about it.

"Giro… what's your… your favorite memory… of me?" she then asked, closing her eyes peacefully.

"When… when you first woke up after coming out of your comatose state." Girouette softly said, fighting all that he could to keep his tears back. The fight had taken a lot of out him, and he was nearly sure that this last conversation would be own his undoing. "When you said my name after months of silence. When you could calm Vent down when no one else could. When you… when you came back and said that it was… that it was because you wanted to see me again."

"Remember me like that. Always. I love you and Vent so much..."

"Juno no, please. Please Juno, don't..."

Slowly, Juno's fingers relaxed from under Girouette's grip as she drew her last breath.

' _Giro, she's gone..._ '

A single tear slid down Girouette's face, unlocking a full range of emotion that he couldn't handle, the Reploid held the woman's body tighter in embrace; One last hug, and he didn't plan on letting go.

"Giro. Girouette can you hear me?" a voice that sounded much like Prairie's coming over Girouette's headset. "Vent was down here with us, and he Megamerged with Model X! We were attacked by a Mechaniloid but he went after it, since the Mechaniloid took down two of the men aiding me. Giro? Are you there? Giro…?"

' _You need to answer her or she'll get worried. Who knows how many Mechaniloids and Mavericks are running loose right now- Prairie isn't built for tough combat. You need to answer her Giro._ '

"Giro? Girouette...? Can you hear me? Please Giro, answer me!"

Shaking, Girouette released one hand from Juno and used to confirm the communication between him and Prairie.

"Giro, say something, anything!" Prairie plead, noticing that the line was confirmed. "I'm started to get worried. What happened up there?"

The Reploid opened his mouth to say something; words failed as he let out a low groan of growing despair.

"Are you alright?" Prairie questioned, sounding a bit perturbed at this point at his lack of answer.

"I..." he slowly croaked, "Am..."

"Do you need back up?"

"No..."

For a moment Prairie was silent, possibly in waiting for him to say something further. He didn't though, so the silence prolonged.

"Look," Prairie then told him, "Vent will want to search for you after he takes out the Mechaniloid- he's already stated to do so. If there's something there that you need to hide from him, I suggest you start moving now before I tell him your current location. I'll tell him Area B if you wish, but that means you need to get by without him seeing you between now and whenever he reports back in at the Transerver. Do I make myself clear Girouette?"

"Yes." he slowly said as he carefully let Juno's body back on the ground. "I'll make it Area B, don't worry."

"Thank you." Prairie graciously told him before ending the connection.

' _The Guardians can pick her up later, after we're sure that Vent is not in a position to see her like this.'_ Model Z offered. _'With her still Megamerged, Juno's body should still be in tact long enough to give her a proper farewell with everyone else. Giro… don't let this moment block you from what is important right now. You promised Prairie that you'd be in Area B, and if you're not-_ '

"I know. Just… just give me a few more minutes. Please."

From there, the Biometal remained silent.

. . .

Later, after Vent was given access to the Guardian's head base, Vent was properly introduced to Prairie and received a basic lowdown of how everything operated. After snapping at Vent for not addressing Prairie as formally as he could have, the red Reploid went mostly silent during Prairie's talk with Vent.

"At the bridge, we can assess all sorts of information; records, Reploid data, photographs even, to insure that we can help where we're needed. Some times even before a disaster happens." Prairie happily told the young teen.

"Photographs… Does Juno know about the Guardians?" Vent questioned as he looked around the bridge in awe.

"Yes." Prairie affirmed before Giro could even breathe. "Under an anonymous suggestion, she became a secret keeper of sorts toward the Guardians. Her photographs have come in quite handy with some of our recon units."

"So she's here too, right?"

At the notion, Giro froze. Prairie picked up on this before the boy could and said, "Just because she helps keep the Guardian's location private doesn't mean she has access to the ship. Such as you had to do, she needed to pass a test."

"Did she ever take it?"

"She refused."

"Why?! This is the coolest place ever!"

"She had her reasons." Prairie told him. "I believe one of them was due to a young man that she loved very much."

Vent thought the statement over before coming to the conclusion that Prairie meant him, so he beamed a bright, cheesy smile of delight. Giro had grown paler, and looked to be desperately holding back tears. As curious as Prairie found it, she wasn't going to address it with Vent present.

"Vent, how about you take a trip around the ship?" she then suggested. "I need to discuss something to Girouette about the Biometals."

"Sure!" the teen agreed happily before leaving the bridge. With him gone, Prairie then turned her attention to Giro, and in her surprise found his soft, troubled face covered in tears.

She didn't even _know_ Giro was able to cry until now.

"Prairie, Juno is… I ki… I had to… to..."

"Whoa, calm down Giro." Prairie desperately soothed as she came closer to him, never once seeing Giro this distressed before. "It's alright. It's all over now."

"She's dead Prairie… dead..." Giro wept. "And I… I..."

"It's alright," she continued to say, allowing him to lay against her while she rubbed his back in assurance. "But… since you encountered a new enemy, I need to assess your memories so the Guardians can analyze the battle..."

Giro pulled away from Prairie and looked at her with a new sense of determination. "Can you reverse some of the data to me as well?"

"I… don't see why not." she agreed. "Wait a moment…." and she went to get the tools she needed to upload part of his memory into the Guardian's computer.

"What date do you want me to view back to you?" Prairie asked when she was near done setting everything up.

"December 26, 2165. It was 6:43 AM exactly."

Prairie nodded as she entered the date into his memories and allowed him to view that moment while she viewed Juno's death.

"I promise not to hurt you." he had told her, finding his own voice to be hypnotic and soothing. "My name is Girouette, but I don't mind being called Giro."

"I… I am… Ju-Juno." she had stuttered, his voice cracking from misuse. She was trembling, the avid memory of her earlier experience still haunting her.

"She was in a lot of pain." Prairie said over the memory. "You… you did the right thing."

"Yeah." Giro agreed as a small smile crossed his lips. "I think I did too."


End file.
